Friday Feb 6^th 1863

                                                                       

Another day has passed & I have not had any word from you yet I had not intended to finish this before I got another but I have just been detailed with 42 men to go out & take charge of the men I do not know where we are to go but sure it is we will take care of ourselvs in this wooden country Irvin & Moulton have volunteered to go with me I take 5 men from each company but 1 or 2 I suppose we go to guard a forage train or some teams to haul timber or something of the sort we like such tramps verry often after laying in camp so long then the variety of the scenery I hope I shall have a letter or more to read from you when I return & then I can give you an account of our trip It will no doubt be a little rough /

The snow is or was yesterday 10 inches deep To day it has thawed so as to make places quite slushy & no doubt will soon all go off even if there comes no rain but the clouds look to night as if there might be some falling weather I understand the pay master is here now to pay us off in part or whole & I should not be much surprised if I were detailed to bring part of it home by the way I heard some of the men talk though do not once harbor the thought of any certainty for it is doubtful if the men would choose me if others would give their consent as I have been home once & others want to go now & if the men will trust them they will stand a better chance Captain Mann is quite unwell for the last 2 days I fear he is taking the fever perhaps only a cold & inactivity together & eating pretty harty vituals 

 

Now I think I will leave the balance for Samuel to fill & send out after I find out where I am going or I may fill it myself I wrote a part of a letter to Francis to day with Sam^l in answer to one from Adaline it was verry neatly written & well composed & breathed an excellent spirit to look forward to her own interest I hope if the roads get fair you will try to visit Martha & Anna once in a while as A. seems anxious in her letters to have any of you come you can go easier than they can if the going is fair Tell Rowell he is oweing me a letter & I want him to try & see if he can get time to write me the others I know will as soon as they get one from me it seems Anna & Martha is trying to see who can excell in writing well that is all verry pleasant to them the boys but you have no such incentive & will write as often as you feel like / so doing If Franky would like to write sometimes let her do so to keep her in practice & also learn to compose I would like a part of a sheet in your letters as often as she wants to write I will close now & let S. finish & mail this to morrow we hardly know any Sunday here so good night & may your dreams be pleasant My own Dear one is my wish

O Barnard

 

            Sister Sarah [faded] has written you a good long letter and left it for me to finish. He with 42 others started this morning after forage to be gone 3 days they have gone across the river. O wanted me to seal this up and send it a head when I found out where they were going a man never knows in the army where he is going until he is on the road. I am on Provost Guard. O. has written all the news so I close. Go and visit the widows and orphans as often as as possible to cheer and be cheered. I am going to write Annie a letter today                 

 

Good bye

Samuel.

SOURCES